Every year, most of us resolve to do something different; something about our personal habits we need to change, our appearance, our relationships. Usually, the resolutions last about as long as it takes to make them.
Over the years, I’ve found that I’m no different from anyone else in this. Sometimes, I make a resolution in my mind but I never even voice it because I know it’s not going to last.
This year, I’ve decided to do something different. All this on the heels of leading several very successful fitness groups last year including a Biggest Loser campaign. I began with a new journaling strategy that leads me deeper into the Word of God along with many of the members of my church. It’s called IFIT: I will be Faithful, Intrepid, & Teachable. IFIT is all part of the greater strategy designed to help me and those around me do a better job of taking care of our minds, our spirits, and our bodies.
After being in the IFIT journal for a week, and reexamining the lives of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis, it occurred to me that I must stop resolving and start a revolution. Resolve: to settle or find a problem. . .decide firmly on a course of action. Not a bad idea, but it seems to wear off too quickly. Revolution: a sudden or complete change in something. My idea: a sudden AND complete change in something, me.
Here’s what I’ve decided to do. For the next 30 days (I just completed day 3 when I decided to blog this), I’m determined to revolutionize my physical habits by going to the gym every day. I’m going on Sunday, too. I’ll preach, have lunch, rest a bit, and go to the gym. Never done it before. . .don’t know how easy it’s going to be. This is where the wicket gets sticky. If this is truly a revolution, it won’t wear off and it will change the major habits of my life–eating, sleeping, studying, spending time with my wife, etc.
So, here goes.
DAY 1 — Wow, I didn’t think it would be this hard, but I’m glad it doesn’t take your muscles long to remember how to respond. It doesn’t take them long to lock up and get sore, either. My gym habit is one hour of working out doing cardio, free weights, machine weights, more cardio and stretching.
DAY 2 — Sore! The muscles responded, alright. They obviously didn’t like what I did to them yesterday. I stuck with my plan, and I’m gradually going to recondition myself and lose a few pounds. My body weight is not really too high, it’s just not arranged right!
DAY 3 — The soreness has set in, I still can’t do a lot, but I’m forging ahead. It occurred to me this afternoon that I’m already 10% through this thing. Maybe it won’t be so bad after all. Yeah, right. If I’ve discovered one thing, it’s this–no pain, no gain is still the truth. Physical fitness ain’t easy, but it’s worth it. I tried to do a little running on the track in our gym today and on about lap 6 I ran slap into one of the steel poles that holds the building up. Remarkably, the steel pole wasn’t hurt–I was. How do you run into a steel pole that you’ve passed thousands of times. Don’t know, don’t care. It still hurts.
OK, I’ll try to keep this thing going tomorrow and for 27 more days. At the end of this, my hope is simple. Once again, I’ll have gotten myself back into the routine of taking care of my 62 year old body. Routine can be good.
Psalm 19:14, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in our sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. [ESV]
larrywaynesykes.com 